‘Banished’ is one of the most unforgiving settlement management games out there that really punishes new players for petty mistakes. It is quite elitist in that regard and has the potential to trap the most experienced of players at times. The concept of the game is simplistic in that regard — build a settlement with a band of survivors and provide your people with basic needs. However, this seemingly normal task becomes extremely frustrating if you miscalculate even one of your resources. Now this hardcore aspect of the game might not appeal to a lot of fans of the genre who are looking for a more chill experience. That is why we decided to compile several games that are similar in style and tone to this one but are much more forgiving when it comes to new players. Here is the list of video games similar to ‘Banished’ that are our recommendations. You can play these games like ‘Banished’ on PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, iPhone, Android, mac or even online.
8. Banished: Colonial Charter Mod
When people talk of games similar to ‘Banished’, I feel most of them tend to leave out this one since it is a mod of the original game. However, this mod manages to add so many additional gameplay elements that the base game completely changes. Once you have successfully installed the mod, it feels like a completely new game loaded with new buildings, seeds and professions. My favourite part of the mod is the way it modifies the look of the town to make it feel more like a European settlement during the colonial era.
A range of new wall fragments allow you to customize the look and feel of your town like never before. The mod also introduces new terrain types and climates including new skin sets for trees. Not only does the game look different, the introduction of these new features ensures that the gameplay is improved as well. ‘Colonial Charter’ is a mod that you should definitely try out if you have the original ‘Banished’ installed. It does require the base game to play as it is a mod in all aspects but since you are reading this list, we figured you’d own it already.
7. Judgment: Apocalypse Survival
‘Judgment: Apocalypse Survival’ is a base building and resource management sim set in a fantasy themed post-apocalyptic world as is evident from the title of the game. Your world has been invaded by demons due to an astral shift and they have managed to conquer most of the habitable lands. You along with a group of determined fighters are putting up your last stand. The first order of business is to build a camp and then secure it. Survivors need resources to sustain themselves and keep fighting, so food is of utmost importance.
Scavenging and hunting for food is relevant in the early stages of the game but as the settlement progresses, you will need proper food production chains. In addition, you will also need to venture outside of your camp in search of extra resources, but that involves some risks. Make sure your men are well geared before letting them venture out into the open. The end game revolves around the study of magic portals and researching methods to end the demon invasion. ‘Judgment’ is a title that you can definitely try out if you like playing games like ‘Banished’.
6. Life is Feudal: Forest Village
‘Life is Feudal’ is an extremely good looking community and resource management sim that allows its players to build a base and survive in the harsh medieval environment. As we have discussed on the site before, this is one of those games that has immense potential but has not received the level of love it deserves from the developers. The selling point of this game is the ability to switch from top down ‘god mode’ views to ‘first person’ views seamlessly. This also happens to be one of the few resource management games that allow you to do this. The ability to look at the structures you have built from first person perspective is a completely different experience from being stuck in top down mode.
The gameplay mechanics are pretty in-depth and you need to keep in mind the surrounding environment, climate and seasonal changes in order to gather your resources. In addition, you also need to maintain the health of your people as diseases play an important role in the game. A proper complete diet ensures that your people do not suffer from diseases, but this is easier said than done. The gameplay definitely appeals to fans of games like ‘Banished’, but there are several bugs in the game that can make the experience quite frustrating. However, if you manage to look past the several flaws and bugs in the game, it definitely is a very rewarding experience.
5. Anno 1404: Dawn of Discovery
‘Anno’ is an extremely popular and well rounded series that manages to balance just the right amount of base management and combat mechanics. The game is extremely well received by gamers and critics alike and is praised for its polished gameplay and simulation mechanics. Now keep in mind that there are more recent instalments in the series, all of which improve on this one but there are more futuristic. This is the one that looks and feels more like ‘Banished’ among all the other titles. The game begins with you controlling a fleet of ships and looking for a habitable land to settle. Once you find that space, you are able to settle down and focus on construction.
Getting a basic base up and running is quite easy, but as you progress further into the game, a lot more options open up and micromanaging becomes essential. The food and supply chains here get special attention as there are multiple tiers, each carefully balanced to support the tier higher up. In addition, there are combat mechanics that come into play once you manage to break ties with any of the other factions in game. However, to get in touch with these indigenous groups, you must first build a harbor and set out on expeditions. These allow you to set up trade routes which let you access different technology and resources. All in all, if you like playing games like ‘Banished’, then you will definitely find yourself addicted to this one.
4. Northgard
‘Northgard’ is a personal recommendation since I know players of Banished cannot go wrong with it. It is a base and resource management game with the focus set on Viking expeditions. You and a band of other Vikings have been given instructions by the elders of your clan as you set out on a voyage into the mysterious world beyond the ocean in search of habitable land. To uphold the honor of your clan, you set out on the perilous voyage expecting never to return but out of sheer luck, you happen to find shore laden with trees and wildlife. You can then quickly set up the camp. It starts out small with just a few tents to huddle into but as the camp expands, you find yourself in charge of a healthy number of survivors, each working tirelessly to improve the camp. There are several clans for you to choose from, each representing an animal and sharing a characteristic with that it.
Also, there are several win conditions in the game, so if you don’t feel like taking out enemy opponents, then research all the advanced upgrades that let you win through a condition called ‘Wisdom’. In trade mode, you need to acquire a certain amount of in game currency before the other factions in order to win. This is customizable at the start of the game and you can either set it to a single win condition or a combination of win conditions. The gameplay is quite similar to ‘Banished’ and will require you to effectively manage your resources while building a settlement, and hence caters to the same audiences.
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3. Atomic Society (2018)
So we are back with a post-apocalyptic setting! It seems game developers are obsessed with a broken world and are adamant on making us gamers feel their trauma! However, we are not complaining and are gobbling it all up instantly. There is something that’s weirdly appealing about the whole idea of a society ravaged by destruction with a few survivors trying to make life out of the rubble. We obviously are a part of the group of survivors and it is thrilling to even think of roaming over a land where once a city stood. Nuclear war can be devastating and though it seems like such a picture is far-fetched, with the level of progress, this might be more of a reality than we think.
‘Atomic Society’ places its players in charge of a post-apocalyptic settlement with limited resources and a harsh, hostile environment. Resource management is crucial to the success of this one as there are situations you might face where there are no resources available to you, so if you have not saved up, it can mean utter doom for your people. Sometimes decisions need to be taken that are not morally correct, like publicly hanging a person in order to fend off wrongdoers. Let’s face it, resources are extremely hard to come by and if you find someone stealing from the coffers, some decisive form of action needs to be taken. After all, it’s for the benefit of the society,
2. Kingdoms and Castles (2017)
‘Kingdoms and Castles’ is a pretty laid back city and community management simulator where you are given the task of running a city from the very scratch. There are not many challenging elements to the game; instead it strives to test the player’s ability to succeed by large margins. The graphics are also pretty bright and the characters are well designed, leading to long hours of gameplay.
The main aim of the game is to manage the various resources available to you in order to expand the city and provide its citizens with food and shelter. If you manage to provide your people with the basic resources, then the happiness level is increased and more citizens flood to the city. In case you don’t manage to provide them with food and clothing, then they may leave. This is the main balance of the game where you need to cycle between the resources available to you in order to keep your citizens happy. At later stages of the game, bands of Vikings attack which can be easily repelled by building up the town’s defences. If you are looking for a city or settlement management simulator similar to ‘Banished’ but much more forgiving in nature, then this is the one for you.
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1. Frostpunk (2018)
‘Frostpunk’ is one of the best and most polished settlement builder and survival simulators that is set in a post-apocalyptic ice age. Nobody knows why the temperatures suddenly started plummeting, but everyone believed that it would stop and reverse. However, when temperate regions started experiencing sub-zero temperatures, the whole of Earth knew they were in for something sinister. Some speculated that after years of global warming, the Earth was finally cooling down and that this is a part of the restoration process while some declared that the planet has deviated from its path creating an imbalance of weather.
Bands of explorers start migrating to the equator in hopes of starting a civilization not knowing whether the intended destinations were actually habitable. This is where the game begins. You along with a bunch of explorers have found a warmer climate and have started a basic settlement. However, due to the harsh conditions of the climate, people are still dying and heaters need to be placed at strategic locations in order to keep the settlement warm. If you manage to maintain the conditions favourable for life, more survivors will join your settlement and perhaps you will have one last chance at survival. This is one game I highly recommend to fans of games like ‘Banished’ due to its addictive gameplay nature and in-depth mechanics.
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